Double Or Nothing
by robotdrinkbleach
Summary: The Titans took Soda in to protect her. But will they be able to keep her safe when Slade sets his eyes on their beloved housekeeper? Rated PG-13 for language and violence later. A HumorDrama.
1. The Strain Begins

A/N: I don't own the Teen Titans. However, I do own Soda and Pepper. SO HANDS OFF!  
  
_Letters in Italics mean Soda's thoughts._  
_**Letters in bold italics mean Pepper's.**_

* * *

****

"Wake up."  
  
"Huh…?"  
  
"We're almost there."  
  
"Oh…thanks."  
  
"You haven't been yourself lately, you know that?"  
  
"I was just sleeping."  
  
"Normally when we go to new places you're always sticking your head out the window like a dog. I'm just saying you haven't had much energy lately."  
  
"Well, moving is very tiring."  
  
The truth was that Soda was on the verge of tears. Just two and half months ago she had been a happy teenage girl. Now she had no parents, no friends, and was in a strange city with a different beat than her home.  
  
"Why are you so damn quiet? You feeling ok? Want me to open a window?"  
  
"No, I'm ok. I just don't have much to say is all.  
  
_**Liar.**_  
  
_Quiet. I hate talking to myself. It makes me feel crazy._  
  
_**Aw come on, it's perfectly normal. People do it all the time.**_  
  
_I guess so…_  
  
_**Anyways, I'm just saying you should open up a little. Share your feelings.  
**_  
_Why? Joey is going through the exact same thing. It would sound like I was being whiny and selfish._  
  
**_Listen kid, if you never say what's on your mind, you never get what you want.  
_**  
_"Kid"? You're my age, Pepper._  
  
As they sped toward their new city, Soda looked to the left out of her window.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"What?" Joey looked over at her with a cigarette hanging lazily out of his mouth.  
  
"What's that T-shaped building? It's in the middle of the lake. See it?"  
  
"That's the Teen Titan HQ. Jesus, even I know that."  
  
"Hey, the only thing I know about the Titans is that they're a superhero team. That's it. I've never even seen their pictures!"  
  
"Yeah you have. You probably just don't remember. They're all over the news."  
  
"So what's our survival plan, anyway?" Soda wanted to change the subject.  
  
"You're gonna' have to get a job. Good thing school is out for summer. You up to it?"  
  
That was the great thing about Joey. Even if she needed to get a job for them to survive, he would always ask if it was okay with her first.  
  
"That's not a problem. Not like I have any friends to hang out with here, right?"  
  
"Hey, I left my friends behind too."  
  
As they rode in the junky old black Honda toward their new apartment, Soda couldn't help clutching her chest. She was unbearably anxious.  
  
_I am SO nervous._  
  
_**Why?**_  
  
_What if life is worse here? What if school starts and I don't make any friends?_  
  
_**Don't waste your energy with petty worrying. Right now, just think about getting yourself a job.**_  
  
_You're right._  
  
"We're here." Joey said as he sped toward a parking spot in the apartment complex and slammed into the road bump.  
  
"Nice one."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Soda giggled as they got out of the car.

* * *

"Agh!" Raven shouted as she slammed her book shut. All she wanted was peace and quiet and everyone was bothering her. Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing a loud and obnoxious videogame, Starfire was singing a very high-pitched song and having trouble landing the notes, and Robin was trying to cook. A disastrous situation, I might add.  
  
"I'm going out." Raven mumbled as she picked up her book and headed for the door. No one responded except for Robin, who gave a frustrated, "Okay." as he knocked over some batter.  
  
Raven almost tripped on her way out. She looked down at the floor. It was covered in garbage. Had she not been able to fly, she might have cared. Instead she levitated over the mess and flew out the door.

* * *

"Bye Joey!"  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"To look for a job."  
  
"Oh. Well, then good for you. Where are you going to try?"  
  
"I saw a Pizzeria on the way over with a 'HELP WANTED' sign. I was going to check there first."  
  
"Ok, watch yourself."  
  
"I will."  
  
Soda walked the few blocks to the Pizzeria. On the way she wished she had a camera. It seemed everywhere she looked there were beautiful photographs just waiting to be taken. If nothing else, this new city was at least photogenic.  
  
_We're too poor to own a good camera…_  
  
She stepped in front of the double doors at the Pizzeria. It was shaped like a slice of pizza, with the top being an area where you can eat outside. There were only a few people in the restaurant. Soda waited until the other customers had taken their food and then went up to the cashier, a disorganized, scrawny young man with a fuzzy black goatee and square brown glasses. There were grease stains on his apron. Hiding her disgust, she began to open her mouth to say something when he sneered,  
  
"Great, another stupid ragamuffin asking for a free meal? Beat it, tomboy. We don't have time for free loaders."  
  
Soda recoiled in shock. She was wearing Joey's old clothes. They hadn't been able to afford nice, new clothes like she and her mother used to shop for. How dare he? This man knew nothing about her! Yes, she was wearing boy's clothes. So what? They were a lot nicer than his greasy ones!  
  
_What the hell is a ragamuffin, anyway?_  
  
_**I dunno. Kick his zit-faced ass.**_  
  
Soda's eyes narrowed, and again she opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted again.  
  
"Carl! That is NOT the way we greet customers! I already gave you two warnings this week! You're FIRED!"  
  
Soda looked in the direction of a muscled red haired man with a short haircut. Late twenties, maybe. A tag on his shirt said 'LARRY: MANAGER'.  
  
**_Heheh, now he's in trouble!_**  
  
_I know. Isn't it great?_  
  
Carl glared at Soda. Then wrestled his apron off over his head and threw it at the guy with red hair. He ripped his nametag off his shirt and stormed out the door. Soda was glad that the people who had just ordered had gone outside to eat. She hated being stared at. The red haired man walked over to Soda.  
  
"I'm so sorry young lady. Your order is on the house."  
  
Soda smiled, and said,  
"Actually sir, I didn't come here to eat. I came to inquire about the sign in your window."  
  
"The one that says, 'Buy a large two topping pizza and get a box of cheese sticks free?"  
  
"Um, no. The help wanted sign."  
  
The man looked surprised.  
  
"Is there someone you know who needs a job? With Carl gone now we need more help than ever."  
  
"Actually, I was the one who needed the job."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry young lady, but you can't work here. You're under sixteen."  
  
Soda had been ready for this. She hated manipulating people, but sometimes in life you just had to throw away your values to survive. Time to guilt-trip.  
  
"Please, sir! I have to get a job! My brother and I just moved here and we have no relatives and I don't want to have to depend on him all the time!"  
  
Yes, that was perfect. Rushing your sentences sounding desperate. Bingo.  
  
"Look, you have my deepest sympathies. But you really cannot work here. You're too young. I could get in big trouble."  
  
"But I…"  
  
"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do."  
  
She was defeated. Soda would just have to try somewhere else.  
  
"Now, if you'd like, I can give you a discount on pizza. I feel bad that Carl was so rude to you." Larry looked like he really meant it.  
  
Not being in a position to refuse a discount, Soda took the coupons Larry offered her and walked out the door, head hanging low.

* * *

Raven was walking toward the beach, book under her arm. She was glad to be out of the noisy tower. At least there was no one at the beach at this time of day. She could get some reading done. She walked past the Pizzeria, which overlooked the shore. Raven smirked. Knowing Robin's cooking, they would probably end up having pizza for dinner…again.  
  
Just as Raven was walking past, Soda came out the door. Raven's head snapped towards her. There was something very peculiar about the wavy haired red-head wearing boy's clothing. Something in her energy. It wasn't a threat. It wasn't some sort of untapped super power. It was more like something in her psyche. Something extra. Something that shouldn't be there…  
  
But Raven's thoughts were cut short by an explosion inside the Pizzeria.

* * *

Just as Beast Boy and Cyborg had gotten to level five, Robin let out a muffled scream. The batter he had knocked over was attacking him. Starfire raced over and blasted the evil concoction with a star bolt.  
  
"Robin, are you all right?" she said helping Robin up from the floor.  
  
"Yeah, but can we go out to eat? I think I've proven that I suck at cooking."  
  
Cyborg laughed, "Haha. Yeah, you sure do."  
  
Beast Boy laughed so hard he snorted. "Dude! You have batter in your nose!"  
  
"I suggest that we all go to the large triangular building where they dispense the greasy pizza." Starfire said, beaming.  
  
"Star, it's called a Pizzeria," said Cyborg.  
  
"Oh yes! I knew it had a name!"  
  
Beast Boy looked around. "Hey, where's Raven?"  
  
"She said she was going out," called Robin from the door.  
  
"What did we do this time?" BB asked.  
  
"Nothing, I think she was just trying to read…or something." Robin said as he tried to clean up the mess he made. On the way to the fridge to put the milk away he tripped on an empty Pringles can, causing him to roll into a pile of garbage bags. Beast Boy got up to get a soda, and since Robin was buried under a bunch of garbage, he didn't see Robin's foot sticking out from under the pile. He tripped and fell face first onto a squishy, smelly garbage bag.  
  
"Dude, this place is disgusting! Who's turn was it to clean?"  
  
"Beats me." answered Cyborg. "I can never keep up."  
  
Robin stuck his head out from the pile. "Maybe it's time we considered getting a housekeeper," he said, working his way out of the mess and carefully stepping over an unidentified rotting object.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. You are buying the pizza, right? Since it's your turn to cook dinner and all?" asked Cyborg.  
  
Robin sighed, "Yes, Cyborg. I will buy the pizza. But tomorrow we should all sit down and talk about getting a housekeeper. Unless of course, you would like to clean this stuff up?"  
  
"Don't even joke like that. It'll eat me or something."  
  
"First we must locate Raven. It would be most unpleasant if she were to get hungry." said Starfire.  
  
"Well let's hurry up and find her! My stomach is eating itself." BB said in an annoyed tone.  
  
Just as they flew out the door, they saw a small eruption of fire come from the direction of the beach.

* * *

LOOK OUT!  
  
Soda heard Pepper screaming in her mind, but she didn't have time enough time to react. She suddenly flew forward in the direction of a girl wearing a blue cloak.  
  
WE'RE GOING TO HIT HER!

* * *

Raven felt the red-head's psyche absolutely explode. Soda was thrown forward towards Raven. Raven used her powers and stopped Soda as she was right next to her. Then she created a shield to keep the fire from roasting them in flames.

* * *

"Titans! GO!" Robin yelled. With Beast Boy as a pterodactyl carrying Cyborg, and Starfire carrying Robin, they flew towards the beach.  
  
End Chapter 1

* * *

A/N: Left you guys off on a cliffhanger! That was so I can make sure you come back. Muhahahaha! I am SO evil. I know this is a strange format to write in, but I figured it would be easier to read. I'm not going to write a new chapter until I get 10 reviews. So you better start typing! 


	2. Bandages

A/N: Whether or not I got ten reviews, here's chapter 2 anyway. I was just too excited to wait. Of course, this doesn't mean to stop reviewing. In fact, if you read my story and don't review, I will hunt you down and pester you until you do. And if that still doesn't work, I'll get MorganShadow to haunt you until you crack. Believe me, you'll wish you were dead if I have to get MorganShadow up in here. Now let's see… where did I leave off? Oh yes, it was right about here.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A scraggly body emerged from the alley next to what was just seconds ago a pizza parlor. It was wearing square brown glasses, had a fuzzy black goatee, and was covered in acne.  
It was Carl. And he was holding was looked like a detonator in his hand.  
  
"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that!" he shrieked. It was obvious that he had gone insane.  
"Too long…too long have I been working at this greasy dump under that wanna-be high school football star!" he gasped. He was having a hard time breathing.  
  
With the shield still up to protect Soda from the heat, Raven sprang forward and used her telekinesis to pick up a chain from a nearby gate. She wrapped Carl in it. But he didn't seem to notice, he just kept laughing. Laughing like the flames were the funniest thing he had ever seen in his entire life.  
  
Just then, the rest of the Titans landed.  
  
"We got a crazy one." said Raven. She looked disturbed.  
  
Soda came out from behind the shield.  
_They're the Teen Titans, aren't they?_  
  
_**They have to be the Teen Titans. I can't think of anyone else they could be.  
**_  
"Why the hell are we just standing around? There are people in there!" screamed Cyborg. He activated his sonic cannon and prepared to blast a way into the building.  
  
Raven looked at him with dismay.  
"Did you see the explosion? The people in there are already dead, fool. No human could have survived that."  
  
"I don't care! There's still a chance!" screamed Robin. He pulled out his metal fighting stick.  
  
Soda stepped forward and stood in front of the burning building. She wanted to cry, but she just couldn't. She had had her fair share of crying in the past two and a half months. She turned to the boy wearing a mask and spoke,  
"She's right. You would just be wasting your time."  
  
Cyborg turned to Soda. He was about to yell at her and tell her to mind her own damn business, until he noticed that she was hurt. And it looked like it was bad, too. The back of her clothes were black, so she had been scorched. When the building had first exploded and Soda was thrown forward, glass and rubble had hit her. But she wasn't aware of this. Soda didn't even know that her head, legs, and arms were bleeding.  
  
The Titan's eyes were wide. This girl needed to be taken to a hospital before she bled to death.  
  
Robin turned to Beast Boy. Beast Boy nodded.  
  
**_What are they doing?_**  
  
_I'm not sure. They aren't going to try to go inside, are they?_  
  
**_Are you okay? You feel kind of weak._**  
  
_It's just mental strain. I think I need a break._  
  
"Here," said Beast Boy, "You're hurt really bad. I'll take you to a hospital."  
  
"A hospital? But I'm fine, I'm just tired-" Soda looked down at herself and gasped.  
"Oh damn…" was all she said before she collapsed.

* * *

**_Alright! You've slept enough! I can only be quiet for so long. Wake up, lazy.  
_**  
_Unh…_  
  
**_What, you still can't think straight? C'mon, be a man and sit up._**  
  
_Pepper, shut up. And I'm not a man!_  
  
**_Open your eyes._**  
  
Soda lifted her eyelids, but just a little. They felt like weights. She was in a green room, and fuzzy images surrounded her. It was like her eyes were a bad television set. She could hear people talking. One of the voices was Joey's.  
  
"Joey…?" she whispered. "Why is everything green? Where are we?"  
  
"Who's Joey?"  
  
"You are, stupid. Don't play games with me right now. I'm not in the mood."  
  
"I really don't know who Joey is. Open your eyes a little more, things might start to look clearer."  
  
"Huh?" Soda opened her eyes more. The five Titans were standing around her, giving her half hearted smiles. She sat up, and immediately her head began pounding. Everything that had happened started flooding her mind. She looked down at herself. She was wrapped in bandages, and she could feel a band-aid on the side of her face, close to her ear.  
  
"But the explosion, the blood, where…?"  
  
Robin knew what she was trying to ask, "Firefighters took care of everything. But there were no survivors. You really are lucky that you walked out when you did. As for where you are, you're in Titan Tower."  
  
Starfire chimed in, "We were going to take you to a hospital, but you kept screaming, 'Do not take me to a hospital! They are too expensive!'"  
  
"Really? I don't remember that. I guess I was hallucinating." Soda looked around the room. "So you saved me…" she turned to the Titans and gave them a genuine smile. "Thank you all very much. I would have bled to death if you hadn't come."  
  
"No problemo, it's what we do." said Beast Boy.  
  
"But I'm afraid I don't know your names. Could you please tell me? My name is Soda."  
  
Even though the Titans thought 'Soda' was a very unusual name, (except for Starfire, who thought that a girl named after a sweet, fizzy beverage was perfectly reasonable) they didn't say anything about it and introduced themselves one by one. When it was Raven's turn, Soda thanked her again for putting up the shield.  
  
"And now we must let you rest, yes?" Starfire looked at the other Titans to see if they approved.  
  
"Yeah, we'll let you rest. Then when you're feeling better, we need you to tell us what happened. We need the details." said Robin.  
  
Soda agreed. As they left the room she thanked them one last time, then fell onto her pillow.  
  
End Chapter 2

* * *

A/N: This chapter was entirely story development. I swear it gets more interesting. I'm going to have chapter three up soon. This is kind of tough, because I'm making things up as I go along. Plus, I have school to consider, so chapter three will probably be along a little longer than this chapter. Remember to R/R!


	3. Rooftop Memories

A/N: And we're back! I am sorry this took so long. Lately inspiration hasn't been coming as much, and now I can only write at night. I am sacrificing my sleep schedule for you, so be grateful!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't sue me, I'm funny.  
  
Chapter 3

The Titans walked into the living room. They were all thoroughly depressed and disappointed in themselves.  
  
"So, what are we going to do about this? This is the first time in a while that we've had deaths. The complaints and tabloid slander is bound to happen any minute now." said Raven.  
  
"I don't know. We're just going to have to work harder." Robin sighed. He just couldn't believe it. He had allowed those people to die. It was all his fault.  
  
Raven didn't have to be a mind reader to know what Robin was thinking. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was a mistake. You need to understand that mistakes happen."  
  
Knowing better than to argue with Raven, Robin just looked out the window. But he quickly looked away. He could still see smoke coming from the shore. Instead he turned his attention to Starfire, who was still looking in the direction of Soda's room. Beast Boy turned to look, too. Followed by Raven and Cyborg. They all stood in silence for what seemed like hours until Cyborg said, "What're we going to do about her?"  
  
"Did she say where she lived?" asked Beast Boy.  
  
"No," Starfire responded sadly "She only thanked us. Many times."  
  
"I have to agree, there was no lack of graciousness there." Raven said.  
  
Beast Boy rubbed his head, "Stop using big words."  
  
"'Graciousness' isn't a big word."  
  
"Maybe to weirdoes who read all the time it's not…"  
  
Raven chose to ignore this particular comment and let Beast Boy keep his limbs.  
  
"When she wakes up, we shall ask where she lives and inform her mother and father she is with us." said Starfire.  
  
"Good plan. In the meantime, we should try to get some sleep. It's been a hard day." Cyborg yawned.  
  
After everyone else had gone to bed, Robin was still in the living room. He was looking through the large window facing the city. But he soon found that this wasn't enough to quell his restlessness. He walked up the stairs to the roof and sat down on the edge, letting his feet swing. But this only reminded him of how short he was. The only person on the team who wasn't taller than him was BB. It was embarrassing when he thought about it. **He** was the boy, he should've been taller than Starfire. He could just picture it, him asking her out and her saying, "Oh Robin, I am so sorry, but you are too short." Yeah, that was probably how it would've gone.  
  
"You really are an idiot, you know that?"  
  
Robin turned slowly to see Raven, her cloak flapping in the strong winds, and her arms crossed.  
  
"If Starfire said you were too short to date, she wouldn't be worth the trouble."  
  
Robin smirked, "I thought you said you couldn't read minds."  
  
"I can't. I've known you for too long, that's all." she sat down beside him. "That's what happens when you're the second member of the Teen Titans. I honestly think that people have forgotten we were the original dynamic duo. Ask anyone on the street, the Titans have always been a team of five."  
  
"I remember, those were the good ol' days, huh? Things were a lot simpler. Then Cyborg came, then Beast Boy…"  
  
"Then Starfire." Raven finished his sentence. "I knew it the moment I saw you look at her. You didn't even know what to say. Which was just as well, because she didn't speak English."  
  
"You're cheery tonight."  
  
"Remembering 'the good ol' days' usually does that to me. Don't get used to it. I wouldn't even be up here talking to you if it hadn't been for that girl."  
  
"You mean Starfire?"  
  
"No, the new red-head. I was walking to my room, when I walked past her door. Just out of curiosity, I peeked inside. Maybe it was the lighting of the room, but I saw something very strange. Her hair wasn't red…it was black."  
  
"It was the dark lighting, don't worry about it."  
  
Raven still looked unsure. They stayed in silence for awhile, until she spoke up. "There was another thing…"  
  
Robin looked up. Raven seemed to be returning to normal now.  
  
"Her energy, it felt different from when we were talking to her. When the building exploded something about her changed, and just now when I went in her room, she was lying there with black hair and a completely different energy field. It was like she was a different person from the inside out."  
  
Robin stood up. He hadn't the slightest clue what Raven was talking about, but he knew she wouldn't give up until he acknowledged her suspicions. "If it makes you feel better, then we'll keep an eye on her. Feel free to investigate as you see fit."  
  
"Ok." Raven stood up with him.  
  
"Let's go to bed, I'm tired, and I'm sure you are too."  
  
"Yes. We'll talk to her in the morning."  
  
"You forgot her name, didn't you?"  
  
"…Yeah…"  
  
"Soda."  
  
"Right, we'll talk to Soda in the morning."  
  
Unfortunately, The Titans didn't get to talk to Soda in the morning. They didn't get to talk to Soda until late afternoon, because The Titans got a new call from Slade.

* * *

A/N: I don't even know why I bother making these little notes, I don't think anyone reads them… But just in case they do, I'd like to thank the total of 2 people that reviewed: jejuneepitaph and ElementalMageofFire. Thank you so much for your kind reviews! I come home from school everyday and check my email and it makes me so happy when I get them! 


	4. The Man in the Monitor

**A/N**: I've run out of things to say, so now I will share with you a horrible memory from Amanda's summer camp experiences. It was a hot day in North Carolina, and my cabin mates had a wicked gleam in their eye. Suddenly, before I had time to realize what was happening, they were gossiping about people I didn't know! Another punch to the face: They were complaining about their mascara running! gasp Before I even had time to get back on my feet, one girl promised another they were best friends. This seemed to revive me a little. But alas! As soon as the other girl left, the promising girl began talking about how she's a seductress!  
I was down for the count. That was when I promised myself I would never go to a co-ed camp again. All the girls are boy crazy.  
  
Soda: I'm sorry, kids. Amanda has no hope for humanity whatsoever…

* * *

Chapter 4  
  
The television screen snapped into focus, and a familiar face was seen upon the flat surface. Slade's face.  
Robin hated seeing him on the monitor. He hated the fact that Slade was right in front of him and no matter how much Robin may have wanted to, he could not reach through and grab Slade. Sometimes he would just sit and stare and let Raven do all the talking, convincing himself that there was no monitor. He waited until he was thoroughly sure of himself, then he would reach up to touch the screen, and hit the glass. Robin was always sure that if he had just waited a little bit longer…  
  
"Good morning my young friends. I trust you have all slept well?" Slade was mocking them. Always mocking them.  
  
"Get to the point." Robin sneered. He wanted to start fighting with him as soon as possible.  
  
"Now Robin, you really must learn not to be so hasty. You must savor every moment as if it were your last. The poor people who were in the pizza parlor learned that lesson the hard way. Please try to avoid making the same mistake."

Robin growled.  
  
The other Titans were all very quiet. None of them ever said anything when Slade called. Usually Robin did all the talking. Sometimes Raven would take over if it got to be too much. But today was not one of those days. Today Robin was mad. Today he wanted to vent some anger.  
  
"Were you responsible for that? ANSWER ME, SLADE!"  
  
"Now, now. Keep your temper young Robin. I am not responsible for that explosion. But it was so poetically destructive and simple, so lovely. I think I've taken a liking to explosions."  
  
There was a deep bellowing sound that came from the woods across the lake. Followed by a terrible cracking and grinding noise.  
  
Robin was out the door before the noise ceased.

* * *

Soda awoke to a loud grinding noise. Or was it cracking? She wasn't sure. As she looked around the room, she started to panic.  
  
_WHERE THE HELL AM I???_  
  
**_Oh, you remember. Big explosion, lost a lot of blood, Titans rescued you?_**  
  
_Oh…oh yeah._  
  
**_Shall we see if you are well enough to walk around?_**  
  
_I feel a lot better, I should have no trouble._  
  
**_Good, because I'm hungry._**  
  
_Me too. I hope they don't mind if we eat some of their food._  
  
Soda walked toward the door, but she couldn't find the knob.  
  
_How are we supposed to get out of here?_  
  
**_I think that button on the side opens it._**  
  
Soda pushed the button and the door slid open.  
  
_Wow, everything is so high-tech._  
  
**_Yeah, I feel like a hick._**  
  
She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door.  
  
_I'll just eat something they won't miss. How about a sandwich? They have lunch meat in here._  
  
**_What kind?_**  
  
_Ham._  
  
**_Do they have cheese?_**  
  
_Cheddar._  
  
**_Then count me in._**  
  
_You're so picky._  
  
**_I am not!_**  
  
Soda threw back her head and laughed. She made her sandwich and quietly ate it while looking around the room. There was a big screen TV in front of her in what looked like the living room. There were windows instead of walls facing the lake and the city. It really was a beautiful view.  
  
**_It feels like I'm a goldfish in a bowl._**  
  
_You know what I should do? They were so nice to us, I should clean this place._  
  
**_THE ENTIRE TOWER???_**  
  
_Of course not, stupid._  
  
**_Oh, thank God._**  
  
_We'll stay out of their bedrooms. I wouldn't want them to feel like I was invading their space._  
  
**_SODA!!! Even without cleaning their bedrooms, this place is huge!_**  
  
_Well then, let me ask you this: Do we have anything else to do today? Besides, they aren't here and we shouldn't leave until they come back._  
  
**_Whatever._**  
  
_Hey, come on. I like cleaning. And while I'm doing it, you can tell me one of your funny stories!_  
  
**_You are too happy._**  
  
_Well, in all fairness, I think I have a concussion._  
  
This time it was Pepper's turn to laugh.  
  
End Chapter 4

* * *

**A/N:** Short and sweet, huh? I would've made it longer, but I have to decide where the story will go from here. I have several ideas in my head, and I have to think about which one I like best. But don't fret! Chapter five will be up very soon. I'm usually a quick decision maker. 


	5. Smoke Tricks

**A/N:** Okay, I chose the way the story is going to go. Hooray for me! Sorry, this took longer than I thought it would. But I am very excited. Maybe later on in the story I will have all of the Titans wear funny hats. I love making my characters wear funny hats.  
  
Karen: Ooooookay….  
Leah: JAB HER WITH A SAFETY PIN!  
Amanda: slaps Leahturns to Karen Funny hats rule!  
Karen: I'm not disagreeing with you-  
Amanda: DO NOT DEFY ME!  
  
Chapter Five  
  
The Titans flew over the lake that separated Titans Tower from the rest of the world. Raven was carrying Cyborg, and Starfire was carrying Robin.  
  
'Why must Robin always fight with Slade? No good ever comes of it. He must try to be calm.'  
  
"Robin…" Starfire wanted to talk to him, to make him feel better, but what could she say? What could she say that wouldn't sound like a bunch of nonsense? All she wanted to do was make him happy, but it seemed like she couldn't even do that.  
  
"What?" He answered distractedly.  
  
She couldn't think of anything to say, "Nothing…" she replied.  
  
"Could we speed up a little?" His tone was impatient.  
  
The Titans increased their speed and headed for the woods. But no one, not even Robin was prepared for what they were going to see there.  
  
A gigantic smoldering crater lay where trees and earth had once been. It was at least a quarter of a mile in width. In the center stood Slade, but he wasn't alone. His arms were around the neck of a small boy in such a way that he could apply a choke hold if needed. The team landed and stood around the rim of the huge pit.  
  
This was the chance Robin had been waiting for. He spoke, and it was in a low and cool tone.  
  
"Let the boy go, Slade." Robin was trying his best to be calm, but it was easy to see that he was shaking with rage.  
  
"If you want him, come and take him. Just be careful. There's a bomb strapped around him that will explode in one minute. The same explosives were used to make this lovely pit I'm standing in. Only there are more of them. The timer should be starting right about…now."  
  
"Titans! Get the boy! I'll handle Slade." Perfect. One on one with Slade. Perfect.  
  
With one swift motion, Slade ran and jumped out of the crater. Robin raced after him, leaving the other Titans frantically trying to free the boy before another explosion. But Robin, blinded by his hatred for Slade, wasn't ready for the mind games that were soon to come.  
  
They raced through the woods, Slade in front jumping from tree to tree, and Robin about five feet behind him. Slade was leading Robin to the perfect spot. The perfect spot.  
  
Finally they reached a calm clearing where there were no trees and no underbrush, and the sun could stream through and warm the earth. Here Slade stopped, and began the game.  
  
"How fittingly uncanny that we should find ourselves in this spot. Don't you think, young Robin?" Slade's back was turned to Robin. He seemed to be looking forward, toward something the masked fighter could not see.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Robin barked.  
  
"Why, don't you remember? This is the spot where we fought for the very first time. Although I can understand why you don't recognize it. Everything was burning then. Now it has all grown back."  
  
Robin looked around, and to his dismay, he found that Slade was right. Before there had been fire and death. Now everything was alive and peaceful.  
  
"So tell me, Robin. Why did you come after me? Why couldn't you stay and help your friends? Help that small boy?"  
  
"I trust my team. They have everything under control."  
  
Slade still didn't turn to face Robin, but his eyes moved to the sides where Robin was in his field of vision.  
  
"Oh? Really? How can you be sure?"  
  
Off in the distance, there was a loud cracking and grinding noise. The earth trembled under Robin's feet.

* * *

"So, what room should I start with?"  
  
**_Why are you talking out loud? I'm right in here in your head where I've always been. I can hear your thoughts._**  
  
"Yes, yes, I know that. But it was starting to get too quiet."  
  
**_So, turn on the stereo. They have a huge one over there. See it?_**  
  
"If you had a sweet stereo like that, would you want complete strangers touching it?"  
  
**_Touché._**  
  
Soda had just found a chair and was standing on it when the whole tower trembled, and she lost her balance.  
  
_DID YOU FEEL THAT???_  
  
**_No, I don't feel anything physical when you're conscious, remember?_**  
  
_Oh yeah, sorry. Sometimes I forget._  
  
**_I really wonder about you._**  
  
_What was that, anyway?_  
  
**_I don't know. Go look out of the window._**  
  
Soda walked toward the window and looked toward the lake and the small wooded island. She gasped, and put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Oh my god…"  
  
**_HOLY SHIT!!!_**  
  
The small island where the Titans had fought Thunder and Lighting, the small island where Robin had first met Slade, was smoking.

* * *

Robin spun around. He couldn't see anything behind him. It was all smoke. He coughed and got down on all fours so he could breathe.  
  
"Where are you, you son of a bitch?" he said.  
  
"Robin, Robin, Robin. You really shouldn't swear. Swearing is for people without class. And we both know that you have a lot of class."  
  
"Oh really? And what if I don't?" He couldn't see Slade, but he could hear the direction his voice was coming from.  
  
"Oh, you do. Don't worry about that. After all, you just demonstrated class by coming after the big prize instead of helping a civilian. Very good job." Slade's tone was completely serious. Not a hint of mocking.  
  
"My team took care of him, I told you. I came after you because someone needed to make sure you didn't escape."  
  
"Someone? You use such general terms. But we both know that you wanted to fight me. We both know that you don't care at all about that boy."  
  
"You're wrong!"  
  
"Oh, am I? There was just a large explosion. Doesn't that worry you? Aren't you afraid that your friends are hurt?"  
  
"I have complete faith in my team." Robin was getting closer.  
  
"I'm sure you do. But sometimes faith isn't enough."  
  
"Come out and fight me, you coward!" Robin was shouting. He didn't want to talk. He wanted to hurt Slade. He wanted to kill him.  
  
But Slade was already gone. That's when the thought first hit Robin, 'What if they aren't okay?"  
  
He crawled through the maze of trees on his hands and knees, but he didn't have very far to go. He was only several yards away from where he and Slade had been before he stumbled into water.  
  
The explosives had gone off, and half the island was gone.

* * *

**_Let's go up on the roof. We'll be able to see better up there._**  
  
_Okay._  
  
Soda ran to the stairs and raced to the roof. When she reached the final floor she flung the door open and ran across to see smoke billowing from the woods.  
  
_Is it a forest fire?_  
  
**_I don't know. But I guess so. I mean, what else could it be?_**

* * *

Robin lay flat on the ground, coughing. His eyes were watering, and he couldn't see a thing.  
  
"Starfire! Raven! Beast Boy! Cyborg! Where are you?" he was shouting at the top of his lungs.  
  
'If you had been there you could have helped them. You could have disabled the bomb. Why did you go after Slade? Because that's all you care about. You give your friends' lives for Slade's head.' There was a mean little voice talking to Robin. That mean little voice had been there since the moment Robin saw Slade. It was always questioning him. Questioning.  
  
"SHUT UP! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!"  
  
"Robin!"  
  
Robin looked up to a sea of red hair. Starfire was leaning over him.  
  
"Robin, are you all right? You do not look well."  
  
"Is everyone okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. Everyone is fine. We rescued the boy, and he is on the mainland. But we could not disable the explosives. Come, we must return to the tower. You need rest."  
  
He opened his mouth to argue, but changed his mind when he felt the soothing coolness of Starfire's hand in his. She held it tight and together they flew up and out of the smoke. Starfire held Robin close to her body, and normally he would have been embarrassed about it. But he was tired, and Starfire's arms were comforting. And for a little while, he even forgot that Slade had escaped.  
  
End Chapter Five  
  
**A/N:** Awwww, isn't that just sweeeet? I guess it goes without saying that they like each other. I'm thinking of putting more romance in the story. Maybe even some more pairings. I'm not really sure, though. Do you like that idea? Leave me a comment and let me know. Also, if there is something you would like to see in the story, let me know about that, too. If I like your idea, I'll put it in! This story is going to be very long. I figured I would just keep updating chapters. It might never end. Just a bunch of little adventures and some short stories. So enjoy! 


	6. Waffles

**A/N: Okay, everyone! Due to popular demand the titans will NOT be paired together. That doesn't mean I won't have them date people outside the team. Or they just might be single forever. MUHAHAHA! THEY SHALL NEVER FIND LOVE!**

Chapter 6

Starfire and Robin joined the team in the air above the lake. They all floated silently and watched the island billow smoke like a twisted factory that produces broken dreams. No one asked Robin what had happened. They didn't need to. It was obvious that Slade had alluded them again. After half an hour of staring in horror and disbelief Raven turned and began to fly toward the tower.

"Let's go. Soda has been waiting for us on the roof for over an hour."

Beast Boy looked at her in awe. 'How does she do that?' he thought. But he followed her nonetheless.

Raven had been right. As they flew back toward their home, they could see a little red dot sitting on the edge of the roof. Of course it was Soda's bright red hair. Raven flew a little faster to get ahead of the group. No doubt this girl would have some questions about the smoke factory that was slowly eating away at their minds. She wanted to go ahead and answer her questions before Robin had to.

'He is not in the right condition or mind frame to answer questions about Slade.' she thought.

Raven put her feet out gracefully and touched the cement finish of the roof. Sure enough, the red haired dot jumped up and started shooting her with question after question from the machine gun that was her mouth.

"Why is the island smoking?"

"There was an explosion."

"Is everyone okay?"

"I trust you mean physically. Yes, physically we are okay. But mentally we are beaten and tired. Especially Robin, so I suggest you not talk about it with him."

"He's the masked boy, right? And you're Raven?"

"Yes."

"So the tall robot guy is Cyborg, the green one is Beast Boy, and the green eyed girl is Starfire?"

"I congratulate you on your memory."

**_She doesn't trust you one bit._**

_She doesn't?_

**_I see it in her eyes. She doesn't trust you as far as she can throw you._**

_Well, I guess it's true that trust is something that must be earned…_

Raven's expression changed from apathetic to alert. She couldn't read minds, but she could sense energy. This girl had a different energy to her sometimes. It would change from Soda's to someone else's. Back and forth, like a conversation.

"What are you hiding?"

"Huh?"

"Your energy, it's different."

"My…energy?"

Raven couldn't take it anymore.

"Yes you naïve pathetic little girl, your energy!"

Raven wasn't expecting what happened next. Usually when she insulted someone, she got one of two responses back: the person would shrink back in fear, or they would fight back with insults of their own. Usually it was the first choice.

Raven wasn't expecting poetry from a machine gun.

A smile played on Soda's lips. She was looking at Raven, but obviously not concentrating on her. Soda was looking past Raven, at something she couldn't see. Then she spoke in a calm and warm voice,

"Naivety is part of life. You have to embrace it and love it like you would love a friend or something of sentimental value. If you took naivety out of the world, it wouldn't be our world anymore."

Raven's eyes widened. She was being lectured, lectured by a girl she barely knew! A girl she just met last night! And what's more, she completely understood and agreed with what Soda was saying!

Raven stood staring at Soda in disbelief when another thing she wasn't expecting to happen happened. The red headed girl switched her personality from grave and serious to happy and friendly.

"Do you like waffles? I can make some if you want, you know. I know you guys have had a rough day. It's really no trouble, I like making waffles. Too much, actually…"

She was not only a machine gun, but a faucet. She could switch her emotions on and off. Just like that.

Raven was about to open her mouth and ask Soda where she came from before she heard a familiar voice beside her.

"Well I, for one, would LOVE some waffles. Raven doesn't eat much of anything though. Mostly she drinks herbal tea."

Cyborg was standing next to Raven, looking down at the short energetic faucet.

"What did you say about waffles!" came a shrill cry that belonged to Beast Boy.

"Soda just offered to make us waffles for all the hard work we did."

Beast Boy started drooling. "I…love…waffles…"

"Well okay, I'll make some for everybody." Soda said, smiling.

The Titans walked down the stairs to the kitchen, the red headed wonder gliding in front, leading the way. When they got to the door leading into the kitchen, Soda flung it open and marched in.

"Be careful! It's messy in there. You'll trip over some-"

Cyborg was cut short by an unfamiliar sight. The kitchen floor.

"Oh my God! We have a FLOOR in here!" he shouted.

"Most rooms in upper stories have floors." Raven pointed out.

"Beast Boy gasped, "The linoleum! It's WHITE! There are no stains!"

"Yeah, those were really tough to scrub off. You guys had a nice little garbage pile going there, too. I figured it was the least I could do since you guys saved my life and all."

Everyone went galloping around the house screaming their lungs out. Even Robin, which made the Titans more relaxed.

"Look at this! She cleaned the bathroom!" Robin yelled to Starfire.

"Soda also cleaned the room of living!" Starfire yelled back.

"I cleaned everything except your bedrooms. I hope you don't mind, I wasn't sure if you wanted me in there or not."

"You really have done more than enough for us. Thank you very much. The tower needed to be cleaned." Robin said.

"It was actually kind of fun. By the way, I found a waffle iron buried under some trash bags. I washed it and it works just fine."

"WAFFLES." Beast Boy drooled.

After Soda made a delicious batch of waffles they all sat in a group around the kitchen table talking.

"So you moved here because your parents passed away?" Robin asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Well, it's kind of interesting actually." She got up and started to clear the table. "I know I should feel sad, but I don't. I mean, I loved my parents. Sort of. But they were never home. They were always on business trips and stuff like that. They would send us money and checks through the mail, and we would pay the bills and go shopping. We learned how to take care of ourselves at an early age."

"Why did you move here?"

"Without mom and dad's money we couldn't pay the bills. We had to sell our old house for money. My brother got a tip from his friend that their were a lot of jobs available in Metro City. I'm actually looking for a job right now."

"Your brother? How old is he? What's his name?" asked Cyborg.

"Well, he's eighteen and his name is Joey. He's really OH CRAP! CAN I USE YOUR PHONE?"

"Uh, sure…" said Beast Boy. His ears were shot because the machine gun had just exploded right in them.

"He's gonna be soooo mad…" Soda said as she quickly dialed the buttons.

End Chapter 6

**A/N: I bet you guys were wondering what happened to Joey, right? Well, he'll be here full force in chapter seven! Keep those lovely reviews and suggestions flowing!**


	7. Can we keep her?

**A/N:** I guess it's been a while, eh? Thanks to Leah for reminding me that I'm writing a fanfic. Yes, I did forget. I'm sorry. I understand if you won't forgive me. Please take this chapter as a gift and don't be angry… 

**Chapter 7**

**_You're dialing the old house number._**

_I'm what?_

**_You just dialed the old house number. What's the number for the apartment?_**

_Uh…Um…_

**_You don't remember, do you?_**

_Do you?_

**_We better ask for a ride over there._**

Soda slowly turned around to face the table of Titans. "Um, can I ask a favor from you guys?"

"You just name it!" said Beast Boy. Anyone who made delicious waffles could have as many favors as they wanted.

"I don't remember the number for my apartment. But I remember where it is. Can I have a ride?"

"We'll all go with you and explain what happened to your brother. I'm sure he'll understand." Robin said.

Soda sighed. "I sure hope so."

* * *

"Hey Joey! Open up! HEY! Open the door! I SAID OPEN THE DOOR!" Soda stood in front of room 203 on the second story of Sunset Hills Lodging, banging on the door and screaming at the top of her lungs.

"How come you don't have a key?" Cyborg asked.

"We just got here yesterday."

"So, you got here and immediately went out looking for a job? Did you even unpack?"

"Nope."

**_Told you you shouldn't have gone running off like that._**

_Well, I know that now._

Suddenly the door flung open, and a tall, sandy-haired boy in his late teens stood in the dim light. In one swift motion he pulled his hand back and smacked Soda across the head.

"Nice to see you, too."

"Soda, WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU? I've been calling people all fucking night! And you just fucking take off and go somewhere? Don't even bother to tell me where you fucking were? Fuck you, kid!"

"HEY! I know you're upset, but try not to cuss, we have guests."

Joey looked past Soda to the five Titans hanging back by the railing. His eyes opened wide.

"Hey, you're…"

Robin stepped forward, "The Teen Titans. Sorry about not getting Soda home sooner, she needed to recover. She took quite a beating. She's fine now, though. Everything will heal up okay."

Joey just stood for a moment. He looked from Robin to Soda to the Titans.

"Wow…well thanks. Would you…like to come in?"

"Sure."

The apartment was dark and worn looking. The Titans sat in the living room on a scratchy, uncomfortable couch the color of mustard. Boxes were strewn all over the apartment. There was a coffee table in front of them that was covered with stains and scratch marks. The whole place was musty and probably crawling with mildew.

"So the whole place just exploded?"

"Pretty much. Your sister was pretty lucky." So far Robin had been the one doing all the talking.

"I guess I owe you guys one, then." Joey smiled nervously and shifted in his seat.

Starfire had been looking around curiously the whole time. It occurred to her more than once that this home was much different from hers. It didn't look very clean or comfortable, and it was horribly small. There were seven people in the apartment right now, and it was incredibly crowded. Starfire had actually become attached to Soda in the short time she had been staying with them. She didn't want to see Soda leave. That's when she got a marvelous idea. She leaned over to Robin and whispered in his ear.

"Robin, may we keep Soda?"

"What?"

"She is a good housekeeper. She could clean and cook for us. It would leave time for our duties if we did not have to cook and clean ourselves. Plus, do you really want to see Soda live in a place like this? She could stay with us in the tower. She could see her brother whenever she wanted. You know we can afford it."

"Is that what you really want, Starfire?"

"If it is alright with the team, then it is what I want."

Robin looked at Joey. "Would you excuse us for a moment?"

* * *

"So…Soda would live with us? And cook and clean?" The rest of the Titans had celebrated at the thought of a housekeeper. The only person left to convince was Raven.

"Please Raven? It would be so much easier! You don't have to like Soda. In fact, if you ask her to stay away from you I'm sure she will." Starfire looked pleadingly at Raven, her large green eyes bearing down on her.

'Humph. While I would rather not invite a stranger into the house, she has an intriguing energy pattern. I suppose this would be a good opportunity to learn more about it.' Raven thought.

"Fine. And I won't tell her to stay away from me. I'll try to be…welcoming." Her teeth involuntarily clenched at the thought.

"Then it is settled?" Starfire asked Robin.

"If Soda and Joey say it's okay, then she can live with us."

The Titans re-entered the apartment. They saw Soda's and Joey's eyes squint at the sudden burst of bright light from the door.

Robin cleared his throat, trying to sound professional. "We have a proposition for you."

Joey looked surprised, but responded, "I'm listening."

"Soda told us about your unfortunate predicament. Did you know that she is very good at cooking and cleaning?"

"Yes. She was always good at it."

"We've discussed it and think that we might be able to help each other. You see, none of us is very good at cooking or cleaning, and Soda needs a job. We would like to hire her. She could cook and clean for us, and in return we could allow her to stay in our home. It's not very far from here, and of course you could visit each other whenever you like."

Joey looked at Soda. "Sounds like a sweet deal, kid. You should take it. You'll be a lot more comfortable in their house than here. That way I can rest easy knowing that you're being taken care of."

Soda just stared at him for a while. Then she opened her mouth, "What about you? Will you be okay? I'm not sure if I should leave you."

He smiled a warm smile, "You won't be leaving me. We can see each other whenever we want. Trust me, we'll both be better off this way. It's not that I don't want you, kid. I just think this way will be easier."

"Okay, Joey."

"Well, she's all yours, I guess. I'll come see her whenever I can. Thanks a bunch man, really. Now that she's staying with crime fighting superheroes, I don't have to worry about her as much."

**_Wow. Didn't see that one coming._**

_Joey is right, though. I didn't want to say anything, but I hate this apartment. But I feel guilty leaving him. I'll be living in luxury and he…well…_

**_Joey would hate living in luxury and you know it._**

_Ha! You're right._

**_All you have to do is cook and clean, and you'll be fine. This IS a sweet deal._**

_I hope so. I like the Titans._

END CHAPTER 7

**A/N:** Yes, I know. It was very short. But I've decided to make the chapters shorter so they'll be easier to handle. The program I'm writing in isn't compatible with , so after I write I have to transfer it to Notepad. And I'm telling you, it's a bitch. Plus, you can have a little at a time to keep you interested. I promise I won't forget that I'm writing again. I'll try to update at least two or three times a week. Mostly it will be on weekends, as school has been increasingly demanding as of late. My classmates reading this know what I'm talking about.


	8. Freshman? Who, me?

**A/N: Hey, guess what? I DIDN'T HALF-ASS IT THIS CHAPTER! One, two, three, four everybody stomp the floor! You might notice that the voice changes a bit in this chapter. I'm experimenting. Tell me if you love/hate it. My sole purpose it to please you.**

CHAPTER EIGHT

Okay, so two months have passed. Soda and the Titans are getting along just fine. Superb, actually. Raven still doesn't like Soda, but Soda's okay with that. It's pissing Pepper off a little, but Soda doesn't mind. She stays home and cleans the house, or sometimes washes the car when Cyborg gives her the 'okay'. The first time she tried washing it without asking, he screamed like a little girl when he saw the water on his baby. But then the end of summer came. It was a sad, sad time, as I'm sure you know. Soda was under the impression that she didn't have to go to school. After all, the Titans had a big house. It needed regular cleaning every day. She was pretty smart already. No more school for her!

"You're going back to school in two weeks." Robin said that morning at the breakfast table. Soda nearly dropped the pan she had been washing.

"WHAAAAAAT?" She screamed.

"Well, you still have to go. You're fourteen, you can't quit school yet. We're your guardians now. I wouldn't want to be breaking the law."

"WHAAAAAAT?" Soda grabbed Robin by the collar and started shaking him violently. She was babbling.

"Ican'tbelieveyou'remakingmegobacktoschoolwhywouldyoudosomethinghorriblelikethatschoolisanawfulawfulplaceandthekidsaremeantome  
andandcallmeweirdtheteacherspatronizemeandtreatmelikeI'mfiveIhateittherewhydoIhavetogowhycan'tIstayhereandcleanforyouguysifI'meatingtoomuch  
andbeinganuisanceI'llgetanotherjobandhelpwiththebillsIpromisejustdon'tmakemegobacktothatevilplacepleeeeeease!"

Pepper's Translation: I can't believe you're making me go back to school! Why would you do something horrible like that? School is an awful, awful place! The kids are mean to me and call me weird! The teachers patronize me and treat me like I'm five. I hate it there, why do I have to go? Why can't I stay here and clean for you guys? If I'm eating too much and being a nuisance, I'll get another job and help with the bills. I promise! Just don't make me go back to that evil place, pleeeeeease!

"Did anyone catch that?" Beast Boy asked.

"Well, from what I can tell she really hates school." Cyborg said.

"Why would someone despise a place of learning?" Starfire asked. "School sounds like a wonderful place. Oh, how I wish to go!"

Soda took a break from killing Robin and marched up to Starfire, "You…crazy…woman…" Soda said, her eyes glowing.

"Why do you not wish to partake in the experience of education?" Starfire asked, inquisitively.

Soda looked over at Cyborg, "So she's honestly never been to school?"

"She mentioned something about tutoring on her home planet, but she's never been to an Earth school." Beast Boy explained.

"Ohhh," Soda said, "Well, sit back, Starfire. I shall tell you a tale. You see, it's not that I hate learning. I actually rather enjoy it. But in school, they do their best to make it as horrible as possible. The teachers are tightwads that scream at you everyday. They give you horrible boring books with complicated words in them, and tell you to read the entire thing by Monday! Now instead of leisurely reading a book, you must cram it down your throat and ignore comprehension. They try to educate you about the English language, which is tortuous and contradicting."

"Oh, that fact I know very well." Starfire interrupted, "But you already speak English properly. Why must you continue to learn it?" she said, tilting her head to one side.

"No one knows," Soda said, leaning in. Her eyes were wide and her voice sounded mystical. She was actually quite a good story teller. Even Raven had stopped reading her book to listen to Soda's explanation of school.

"No one knows, Starfire. It is a great mystery. But an even bigger mystery is algebra. It's all very logical, but you must be able to memorize things. Oh, the things you must memorize! Formulas, calculations, calculator instructions. It's all quite boring, and the probability that you will use it when you graduate is incredibly low."

"You know, probability is something you learn in algebra." Raven intervened.

Soda whirled around, "Shhh," she said. Then turned back to Starfire. Her story was beginning to stray from her personal opinion, and was going to get even more melodramatic than it already was, "Then, there's history. Where we must learn about crazy women with hatchets wrecking saloons and trying to keep people from drinking. Not to mention the dates! Oh, the dates…How I hate them so. My long-term nemesis is the date memorizing. Next is science, which is just a waste of my time. Most of science is common sense, when you think about it. Besides, how can anyone get ANY learning done when everyone is debating about the theory of evolution? Those indecisive weirdos need to make up their mind about what they're going to do! The only thing I like about school, the only thing I ever liked, was musical education. How wonderful that was! I signed up for it every semester except one. That was because I had to take P.E. Boy oh boy, don't even get me started on P.E…"

Soda continued in this fashion for several more minutes, using exuberant gesticulations in her movements. Sometimes she would jump on a piece of furniture when her speech reached a crescendo. When she looked thoughtful, she walked around the room. The whole thing was quite theatrical. The Titans watched Soda in stifled amusement until her story returned to musical education.

"…But ah, yes! Music was my favorite subject. Still is, as a matter of fact. I remember, every day we played a new instrument. The whole class would rotate around the room to different stations. Each station had a different instrument in it. My favorites were the piano and the alto saxophone. I desperately wanted private lessons in them, but then we moved here."

She let out a long, exaggerated sigh. That was when Beast Boy noticed something about Soda. She had become less of an overly-polite babbling blushing girl, and more of a mild-mannered weird kid who liked talking and just…saying weird things. Soda had actually changed quite a bit. He supposed that it was because she was finally getting used to them. Even Raven was beginning to speak to her occasionally, instead of just flat-out ignoring her.

"Well, it doesn't matter. School starts in two weeks. You'll be going to the nearest public school, Metro City High." Cyborg said flatly.

"Uheh? I'm in High School now?" Soda stopped complaining long enough to ask a question.

"That's what Joey said. He said you finished eighth grade, and this would be your freshman year." Robin explained.

Soda counted on her fingers, "Five, six, seven, eight…Wow! I AM a freshman! Neat. Okay, I'll go to school. After all, I've heard that High School is a lot more fun than Middle School."

**_You certainly changed your mind quickly._**

_Pepper! We're going to be freshmen!_

_**Yes, I know. I can't believe you forgot. Nice speech, by the way. Maybe you should try out for the Drama Club.**_

_I always wanted to be in one. Our old school didn't have a Drama program._

"Tomorrow we shall escort you to the place of learning to meet all your wonderful new mentors!" Starfire said.

"Alrighty then!" Soda and Starfire struck a silly pose and then marched off.

"How can they take themselves seriously when they do that?" Robin asked.

"They're morons." said Raven.

END CHAPTER EIGHT

**A/N: Right now I'm in the funny part of the story. I've broken it down into portions. The "school" portion will be humorous. I suppose the portion after that will be serious. I still have planning to do.**


	9. You're not being watched, but Soda is!

**CHAPTER NINE**

"It's big." Soda said, staring at her new school.

**_Indeed. Quite large._**

"I'll get lost in there."

**_Then I'll laugh at you._**

"Shut up."

"Talking to yourself again?" Raven had snuck up behind Soda. Soda spun around and slapped on a grin.

"You betcha!"

"So when are you going to tell me who you're really talking to?"

Soda suddenly became very serious. She put her hand on Raven's shoulder. Raven flinched, as she didn't like being touched. But she tolerated it seeing as how Soda looked like she was about to confess something.

"My dear, sweet Raven," Soda began, "It all began one hundred years ago. In a small city in Florida. A fox was searching for food. He couldn't find any, because the whole area was in a horrible drought that season. With his last breath, he put a curse on all girls named Soda. I am forever doomed to be haunted by spirits with whom I can communicate with." She sighed, and stared off into the distance.

"You have GOT to be kidding me." Raven said, narrowing her eyes.

"YUP! I SURE AM!" Soda laughed, and slapped Raven on the back. Then she ran inside the school. Raven gritted her teeth.

"Obnoxious girl. I WILL discover what you are hiding."

* * *

The Titans waltzed up to the registration desk, Soda standing next to them. The P.T.A. volunteer squealed at the sight of them, then asked for an autograph. Robin gave her a grimace that was convincing enough to be a smile, then signed a piece of paper for her. Cyborg registered Soda while the P.T.A. moms flocked around the rest of the team. 

"Is this what it's always like when you guys go out in public?" Soda said, looking bewildered.

"Why do you think we stay in the tower all the time?" Cyborg said grumpily.

"It is highly recommended that the students visit their new teachers and become familiar with where there classes are today, so that they don't become lost during school." The woman behind the desk said, giving Cyborg a packet of information.

"Okay, Soda," Cyborg looked at the list, "First teacher to visit, the homeroom teacher."

The homeroom teacher was jolly Porto Rican woman, who also served as the Spanish teacher. She was very kind and funny. Soda liked her a lot. The other teachers Soda didn't like, for various reasons that won't be mentioned here because it would be incredibly boring.

"Now, the last thing we have to do is get you a uniform." Beast Boy said, looking at the checklist that was included in the packet.

"A UNIFORM?" Soda shrieked. A few people around them stopped and stared. Cyborg clamped a hand over Soda's mouth. Robin and Beast Boy smiled and grimaced at the people. Raven just rolled her eyes.

"This school requires its students to wear uniforms, Soda. We need to buy you one at the school store." Robin explained.

"I don't want to make you pay for that!" Soda said indignantly. "School uniforms are expensive!"

"Meh. You can make me some tofu pudding and we'll call it even." Beast Boy said casually.

"Well…okay…Hey, they might even be cool. Like those Japanese school girl uniforms on TV. Only, you know, less skimpy."

But the uniforms were not cool. The uniforms couldn't be any further from cool. They were hideous.

"A ladies' suit with shoulder pads? Are they out of their minds!" Soda screamed. The suit was navy blue. It came with a golden pin and a white shirt to go under the jacket. The skirt reached to the mid-knee. The sleeves had lace at the openings. The collar had ruffles on it. "What is this, the early nineteenth century? Pft, even the eighties had a better fashion than this! Look at this lace. Do you see that? Who in their right mind would make that a uniform?"

"I must admit, it is not flattering." Starfire held the suit in her arms. "Perhaps you can alter it to make it look better. The shoes look nice, though."

The shoes were jet black with silver buckles. "Yeah, the shoes are pretty cool." Soda admitted.

"Will you two ladies quit complaining so we can go already?" Raven snarled. She hated being in crowds of people. It made her very irritable.

"Yeah, let's just go. I can obsess later." Soda said. "Come on, Beast Boy! Get a move on!" She kicked him in the butt.

"Ow! You'll pay for that!" He chased her out of the school. Soda ran ahead, giggling.

**_Run faster! He's going to catch us!_**

_I'm going as fast as I can. What do I look like, a super hero?_

_

* * *

_  
Laying hidden on the high rooftop of Metro City High School was a familiar figure. Cloaked in black, so as not to be discovered, Slade sat. Waiting. Watching.

"Yes. She's the one. Her energy changes dramatically back and forth. It has no pattern. It is unpredictable." His eyes narrowed, "So, I've finally found you two."

**END CHAPTER NINE**

**A/N: Ooooh! SpOoOoOky! Suspense! BLEAH!**


End file.
